Walking on the wild side

Dog groomer Karen Whitney and Tess.At the open day in Bramley and O'Shea Vetinary Clinic on Friday afternoon were Tara Maher and the Albino Burmese PythonAmy and Susie Kelly with a Burmese python.Dog groomer Karen Whitney and Tess.Above: Lauren Mullally, Haig Conron, Tadhg Murtagh and Diarmuid Murtagh with a Monitar lizard.Shona McCourt with her dog Lily, Christine Armstrong, Daisy the pony, Dayna Moran, Karen and Ian O'Reilly, with Tiger and Lily.At the open day in Bramley and O'Shea Vetinary Clinic on Friday afternoon were Shona McCourt with her dog Lilly, Christine Armstrong, Daisey the poney, Dayna Moran, Karen and Ian O'Reilly with Tiger and LillyDave Griffin of 'Dave's Jungle' and Annette Byrne with a Monitor lizard.Tom and Patrick Kolakovic with Kevin a dwarf crocodile.Michelle Mernagh, Christine Armstrong, Brian O'Shea, Nicole Kelly and Dave Griffin of 'Dave's Jungle'.Betty Stedmond, David Stedmond and Layla Byrne with the lizards and a snake.

Wexford was crawling with exotic creatures recently as Bramley and O'Shea welcomed all creatures great and small for their annual open day.

The veterinary clinic was literally alive with activity as rhino iguanas, snapping turtles, crocodiles, tarantulas, lizards and snakes made themselves at home for the afternoon. The unusual visitors were brought along by 'Jungle Dave', who brings creatures to events and schools around the country to allow people to get up close and personal with them.

'Everyone from children to adults had a ball,' said Michelle. 'The snakes were a great attraction. A lot of the kids were holding them and some others even had the tarantulas on their heads.'

'Dave talked about all of the animals that he had, where they come from and what they eat,' she continued. 'It gave people a chance to see the animals up close. People could really relate to Dave and could ask any questions that they had.'

Jungle Dave is a welcome visitor to the open day every year. However, his visits aren't the clinic's only brush with the exotic. Throughout their time in Wexford, Michelle said they have treated rats, snakes and even a monkey on one occasion.

The day coincided with a dog show, which saw Leah Devereux and her dog Beau take home first prize.

Entry to the show cost €2 and these funds, along with additional donations, were given to the WSPCA.

Other events included a talk from a nutritionist on the benefits of proper nutrition for dogs and cats; a presentation on the importance of good grooming and a discussion on microchipping. Staff from the clinic also gave guests an overview of the services that are available, as well as showing them some examples of blood slides and xrays. Meanwhile, an arts and crafts table proved to a big hit with the kids.

All of the guests were offered goodie bags brimming with treats for their furry friends. They also went home with tips on how to check their pets for health problems without attending a clinic.

'The annual open day is our way of giving back and is always a fun day for everyone,' said Michelle. 'Everyone had an amazing time.'